Tuesday, 22 January 2019

Thailand 2019 - Week 1

The first week of my time in Thailand was pretty amazing, c250 species including some amazing birds. See what you can do in one week below...

The first stop I made was at the famous section of coast between Pak Thale and Laem Pak Bia. Famous for its Spoon-billed Plover overwintering population. I was very pleased to find one of these incredible, unique and Critically Endangered shorebirds in among thousands of other birds.

Spoon-billed Sandpiper - very much a record shot (phone-scoped)

It wasn't all about the one species, though and I had at least 45 species of shorebirds in the few days I was in the area. Some of the better birds (from a World and Thai perspective) included Nordmann's Greenshank, Asian Dowitcher, Far Eastern Curlew, Sharp-tailed Sandpiper (national rarity), Collared Pratincole (a national mega rarity - this was the 3rd record), White-faced Plover, Oriental Pratincole (our of season record), Terek Sandpiper, Malaysian Plover, Grey-headed Lapwing, and Pheasant-tailed Jacana. I also had several Chinese Egrets.

White-faced Plover - is not a Kentish Plover!

Got some other really great birds in the rice fields and mangroves near here too, such as Yellow-breasted Bunting (Critically Endangered), along with Mangrove Whistler and Golden-bellied Gerygone.

Mangrove Whistler - not the most colourful, but a decent record. For some colour keep reading.....

After leaving the coast I moved inland to the area around Kaeng Krachan. Some of the highlight birds from here included:Tickell's Brown Hornbill, Oriental Pied Hornbill, Black-and-Red Broadbill, Red-breasted Parakeet, Kalij Pheasant, Jerdon's Baza, Black Baza, Mountain Hawk-Eagle, Black-thighed Falconet, Slaty-legged Crake, Bar-backed and Green-legged Partridges, Siberian Rubythroat, Siberian Blue Robin, 4 species of 'Blue Flycatcher', Orange-headed Thrush, White-crested, Greater Necklaced, and Lesser Necklaced Laughingthrushes, and Spot-winged Starling (a rarity - I found a flock of 50 of them!).

Lots of time spent in hides watching and photographing some amazing birds. A few pics below....


Siberian Rubythroat - a great view of this skulker! 

Bar-backed Partridge

Blyth's Paradise Flycatcher

Chestnut-headed Bee-eater

Greater Necklaced Laughingthrush

Kalij Pheasant (male)

Kalij Pheasant (female)

Lesser Necklaced Laughingthrush

Orange-headed Thrush

Oriental Pied Hornbill

Siberian Blue Robin

Slaty-legged Crake

Spot-winged Starling

Streak-breasted Woodpecker

Sultan Tit

White-crested Laughingthrush

White-rumped Shama

Thanks to Birding Ecotours for sending me to these amazing locations! 2020 anyone????

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